Whiffletree



(No ModeL) S. J. ARNOLD.

WHIFILEI'REB.

No. 406,691. Patented July 9, 1889.

.of the vehicle, and WV is the whiffletree.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAXTON J. ARNOLD, OF EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS.

WHlFFLE TREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 406,691, dated July. 9, 1889.

. Application filed April 9, 1899. Serial No. 306,506. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAXTON J. ARNOLD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Everett, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful lVhifIietree, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to whiffletrees; and it consists of a new and improved device for attaching them to the cross-bar atthe rear of the tongue or thills on a wagon or carriage, all as will be more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a plan view of the entire device. Fig, 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the whiffletree with its iron attached, and Fig. 4 is a perspective View of one of the braces detached.

The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout.

The letter 0 represents the cross piece, which is coupled at its ends to the front axle In a single-horse vehicle this will be a singletree, and in a two-horse vehicle a doubletree, but in either event it is centrally pivoted to the cross-piece O, and this invention relates to improved means for effecting such pivoting.

V V are V-shaped braces precisely similar, except as hereinafter specified. The upper brace lies upon the cross-piece O, with its feet 1) resting against its rear face, and the lower brace occupies acorresponding position beneath the cross-piece, the braces being connected and held in place by bolts b, extending through said cross-piece. At their for ward ends the braces are recessed on their inner faces at R, and on their outer faces preferably provided with correspon ding raised portions P. The upper brace has a square hole 3 through its raised portion P, opening into the center of the recess B, and adapted to receive the squared portion 'or neck S of the main bolt 13, while the lower brace has a round hole r, through which the round shank of the bolt passes, and belowwhieh the nut N is applied. It will thus be seen that the bolt B cannot revolve or oscillate within the braces V, and hence the nut N, when screwed tightly home to place, will be unlikely to work loose and be lost.

I is the whifiietree-iron, having enlarged heads or bearings H at top and bottom,which are journaled loosely within the recesses R and provided with a vertical hole h, adapted to contain the bolt B, but large enough to be out of contact therewith. The body of the iron is extended laterally in arms it, which lie against the front face of the whiflietree and are bolted thereto by bolts 19', passing rearwardly through said whiffletree. Project= ing rearwardlyfrom and flush with the upper edge of the iron is an integral dovetailed plate I, approximately triangular in form and set in a correspondingly-shaped recess in the upper face of' the whiiiietree and secured therein by a number of screws 1, though this plate may be omitted, if desired. The iron beingsecured to the Whifl'letree, as just described, the braces V placed in position, with their recesses R embracing the bearings H and their feet 0 behind the cross-bar O, and the bolts 17 secured in place, if now the main bolt B be passed downwardly through the aligned holes 8, 7t, and r and the nut N screwed tightly in place, the device is ready for use.

The principal advantage of this invention lies in the fact that the ironIis journaled by its bearings H in the braces V and not upon 'the bolt B, as in most cases, thereby lessening the liability of the nut N unscrewing (without any real practical harm, however,

even if it does) and bringing the friction and wear upon two large bearings, instead of upon the smaller body of a single bolt. In addition, the location of the iron in front of the Whifi'letree avoids the possibility of the separation of these parts, while the feet 1; on the these are not generally necessary.

braces maybe provided with oil-ducts 0; but

IOO

its upper and lower faces jonrnaled in saidrecesses, and a bolt passing through the braces and Whiffletree-iron, as set forth.

2. The combination, with the bolt, of the braces adapted to be secured to a cross-bar and provided With recesses on their inner faces, the Whiffletree-iron having projecting bearings upon their upper and lower faces and provided with a vertical hol'e h, of greater diameter than the bolt, whereby the whiflletree-iron is out of contact With said bolt, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the V-shaped braces provided with recesses in their inner faces, the Whiffletree-iron having bearings j ournaled in the recesses of the braces and provided with the rearWard-extendin g plates approxipassing throughthe braces and the whiffletreer,

iron and being out of contact With the latter, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

SAXTON J. ARNOLD.

\Vitnesses:

SAMUEL P. CANNELL, G. 0. Trims. 

